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What a valuable resource, mahlzeit! Thank you so much for putting that together, and I am going to bookmark this thread so I can point to it every time we get the inevitable "how to record" questions.

One of the best features of your article, imo, is that you provided actual photos of the jacks and cables etc., which is an ENORMOUS help to technological illiterates like myself.

The only suggestion I would make is a teeny-tiny editorial one, regarding your comment that the Zoom is "a bit pricey". I personally think it is pretty cheap considering everything it contains (two stereo mics, recorder, etc.). Maybe just add a parenthetical comment "costs about $300-350" so as not to scare too many people off.

The other thread on recording acoustics was indeed informative, but I got a kick out of the prices they mentioned there for soundcards, e.g., $99 for a 1 Gig card. Technology sure does get cheaper with age, doesn't it?

Mahlzeit, if you're not averse to posting links, I'd also (obviously) recommend adding a link to the Zoom mega-thread:

I have to use the headphone audio out, before I couldn't hear what I was playing if I decided to record live (record as I play, vs. recording a playback of a saved session) and had to rely on the sound from audacity as it was processed so suffered a lag. Now I just turn off the audacity sound and enable the desktop's mic volume (didn't have this option on my laptop for some reason).

BTW, for those who haven't tried this, try hooking up your keyboard to your computer's sound system, I just have a low end 70W 5.1, but wow, you can get some really nice volume and clarity from the piano on these speakers.

Funny story, when I was experimenting with the 5.1 sound system yesterday, whenever I played a middle A, I would get this irritating buzzing (even on playback of recordings) I couldn't figure it out, was worried the cabling or keyboard or soundchip was defective or something...until I found out it was sympathetic vibration coming off of a metal grill on my pc, lol.

Re: How to record piano on your computer#106959403/09/0705:08 AM03/09/0705:08 AM

I was able to hook up my ES4 with a USB connection and record some music. But the play back using Red Dot gives it a harpsichord sound from my computer. It sounds fine through the piano itself. Suggestions, otherwise all my songs will seem like an Adams Family reunion...

Re: How to record piano on your computer#106959805/17/0708:42 PM05/17/0708:42 PM

You'll only get a midi recording with a usb hookup. If you want the acoustic sound from your piano, you'll have to hook up using either the line-in (or headphones to mic) and fool around with audacity or similar software to record.

With the midi you can switch out the instrument or use software pianos to add back in the piano voice (you might want to look at the free soundfonts etc if you want to start playing around with giving midis back a sampled piano sound (the end path of going down this route are the rather expensive sampled piano software such as Akoustik, Ivory, Art Vista etc..

Good luck.

Re: How to record piano on your computer#106959905/17/0708:46 PM05/17/0708:46 PM

You'll only get a midi recording with a usb hookup. If you want the acoustic sound from your piano, you'll have to hook up using either the line-in (or headphones to mic) and fool around with audacity or similar software to record.

With the midi you can switch out the instrument or use software pianos to add back in the piano voice (you might want to look at the free soundfonts etc if you want to start playing around with giving midis back a sampled piano sound (the end path of going down this route are the rather expensive sampled piano software such as Akoustik, Ivory, Art Vista etc..

Good luck.

Thanks Sid, I was wondering why the Audacity wouldn't work. I guess back to the drawing board.

Mark

Re: How to record piano on your computer#106960005/17/0710:45 PM05/17/0710:45 PM

* A professional mixer from E-Bay with microphone module. I got two professional-grade Peaveys for $60.

* Audacity is the free recording program of choice.

* Ensure your computer is capable of sampling audio input in the form of a microphone or line-in jack. Most modern PC's have this capability.

In my case the whole setup ran about $130. To do stereo I'd need to spend another $60 for another microphone and cord and another $??? for a second microphone module. I already have the two mixers.

Once you perform your recording, depending on your PC you'll need to remove the noise. My PC generates a lot of noise into the AC line, and this gets picked up by the mixer and must be removed with Audacity. Yet, if you remove too much you'll affect the recording's acoustic quality (make it sound like your in a room with wierd walls).

The alternative is much simpler but costlier: get the Zoom recorder. It will not have the line noise problems.

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